What Are Cataracts?
Cataracts are a condition that cause the clear, crystalline lens of your eye to become rigid and opaque, resulting in a cloudy, milky appearance that could affect your vision.
Your eye’s lens is made from thousands of tiny proteins. When you’re born, the proteins are spread apart enough that light can pass between them. However, these proteins restructure as you grow older, preventing light from entering your lens.
Cataract Symptoms
As your cataracts develop, you may experience:
- Blurred vision
- Glare or halos around light sources
- Poor or reduced colour vision
- Frequent lens prescription changes
- Light sensitivity
Are You At Risk?
Cataracts can happen to nearly everyone as you age, but some factors that could increase your risk include:
- Diabetes
- Excessive sunlight exposure
- Smoking
- Past eye injuries
- Past eye surgeries
- Corticosteroid medications
- Excessive alcohol consumption
